Machine for manufacturing expanded metal.



H. SALMON. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.-

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 9, 1911.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

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H. SALMON a MACHINE FOR. MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.9,1911.

Patented Aug; 1, 1911.

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H. SALMON. I MAOHIEE FOB MAEUFAGTUBING EXPANDED METAL APPLIOATIOE FILED1111.6, 1911.

Patented Aug,.. ,1, 1911.

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MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED HEI'AL.

APPLIGATIOH FILED JAIQ'. 9, 1911.

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H, SALMON.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 1911.

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H. SALMON. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLIGATION FILED 1mm, 1911.

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. respects to are local transverse sections PATENT @FFICE.

HARRY SALMON, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE EXPANDED METAL 6COMPANY, LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXEANDED METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Application filed January 9, 1911. Serial no. 601,601.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY SALMON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residin at York Mansion, York street, in the city ofWestminster, England, have invented new'and useful Improvements in Ma)-chines for Manufacturing Expanded Metal, of which the following is aspecification.

According to this invention expanded metal is made by first forming in asheet as is usual arallel longitudinal rows of slits .the junctionsbetween the ends of the slits plane of the sheet by means of conicalrolls having surfaces set all in the same direction out of the plane ofthe sheet and having recesses at the points of contact with thejunctions.

The drawings show a machine suitable for carrying out the process.

The machine shown is similar in many that illustrated in the UnitedStates Patent No. 890127 except that in place of the saw toothed rollsshown in that patent I use conical rolls having surfaces set all in thesamedirection out of the plane of the sheet to be rolled and havingrecesses at the points of contact with the junctions.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of amachine for embracing this invention. Figs. 3, 4: and 5 are transversesections (to twice the scale of Figs. 1 and 2) on the lines 33, 4- 1,and 5-5, Fig. 1. In these figures many parts are omitted for the sake ofclearness. Fig. 6 is a local plan of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 and Fig. 9 isa local side elevation showing details. Figs. 8* and 9* are detachedviews parts' Fig. 7 is four times and Figs. 8, 9, 8* and 9* are eighttimes the scale of Figs.

of some of the 1 and 2. Figs. 10 and 11 are longitudinal and transversesections of the slitting rolls 6, these figures are sixteen times thescale of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of one of theconical rolls. Figs. 13 and 14: are sections on the lines 1313 and 1414Fig. 12. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are vertical sections of the conical rolls.Fig. 18 is a plan of the sheet after it has been slit. Figs. 19, 20 and21 are transverse sections of the sheet shown in Fig. 18 on the lines19, 20 and 21 after the sheet has been passed through the conical rollsand correspond with Figs. 15, 16 and 17. Fig. 22 is a plan and Fig. 23is a transverse section of the sheet after it has been expanded.

1 (Fig. 1) is a toothed wheel fixed to the main shaft of the machine.

2 is a toothed wheel gearing with the wheel 1 and fixed to the sameshaft as the wheel 3 which gears with wheels 4 and 5 fixed respectivelyto the shafts of one of the slitting rolls 6 and one of the conicalrolls 7.

8 is a wheel gearing with the wheel 4 and also with the wheel 9 fixed tothe shaft of one of the feed rolls 10. The wheel 1 also gears with awheel 11 on the spindle of a worm 13 gearing with a worm wheel 14 on thelongitudinal shaft 15. This shaft transmits motion through a clutch 16to another longitudinal shaft 17. The shaft 17 drives through trains ofgearing (clearly shown at Fig. 2) three longitudinal shafts 18, 19, 19,the four shafts actuating the expanding mechanism as hereinafterdescribed.

The slitting rolls 6 are geared together by wheels (not shown.) in theordinary manner and as is clearly shown at Figs. 10 and 11 each slittingroll consists of a number of disks 20 separated from each other by thethickness of a disk, and the disks of one roll just enter the spacesbetween the disks of the other roll, thus forming a series of shearblades. The edges of the disks have notches 21 in them equally spacedaround their circumferences, and situated alternately on 0pposite facesof them, and at these points the disks do not cut the metal sheet. Thenotches of one series are midway between the notches of the otherseries, so that the metal sheet after passing through the rolls has init a sticking in the rolls 6 two parallel grids 23- (Figs. 10 and 11)are provided, the bars of which lie between the disks of the two rolls,

There is a space between these two grids sufficient to allow the sheetof metal to pass. The conical rolls 7 are like the rolls 6 b 111lt up ofparallel disks. Each of these .dlsks have conical surfaces f in whichare recesses g and h. The deep recesses g n each pa r of rollscotiperate together as 1s shown in Fig. 17 in passing the junctions 0 atthe ends of the pairs of strips, these unctions being turned as littleas possible; and shallow recesses 71. coiiperate together as is shown inFig. 16 when passing the unctions 45 connecting the middles of the pairsf strips. v l The sheet of metal after leaving the comcal rolls 7 ispassed by hand to a guide trough and the clutch 16 is thrown in by atreadle thus starting the expanding mecha-; nism. The guide trough isformed of a fixed table 24 supported by standards 25 and two movablesides 26 which are depressed out of the way when the jaws 27 descend toseize the edges of the sheet as is clearly shown at Fig. 7 by a cam 28which acts on a lever 29 connected by links 30 to bell crank levers 31which operate them. The sides 26 are brought back by springs which arenot shown.

As shown at. Fig. 4 the cams 37 have three lifts. When the slide 36 ison the highest lift (as shown at Fig. 4) the points of 'the jaws 27penetrate through the edge of' the unexpanded sheet of metal into holesin the edge of the table 24 but as the cam 37 revolves the slide 36almost immediately descends onto the middle lift and the points of thejaws 27 are raised out of the holes and they are then free to movelaterally away from the table. At the end of the expanding process theslides 36 descend onto the lowest lift of the cams 37 raising the jaws27 still higher so that the sides 26 of the table 24 can be raisedwithout coming into contact with the underside of the expanded sheet ofmetal thus allowing an 'unexpanded sheet to be slid into position on thetable 24 while the expanded sheet is being knocked off the jaws 27.

The blocks 32 which carry the two series of jaws 27 (Figs. 8 and 9) forexpanding the slit sheet are free t o move on two parallel bars 33carried by arms 34 fixed to two longitudinal rock shafts 35. The arms 34areacted on by slides 36 and cams 37 (Fig. 4) which cause'tlie bars 33and jaws 27 to descend at the proper times, piercing through &c., ofunthe edges of the sheet and entering slots in the edges of the tableThe rock shafts 35 have fixed to them weighted arms (not shown) whichtend to turn the shafts and. keep the arms 34 in contact with the slides36 and cause the jaws 27 to rise when they are free to do so.Immediately therefore the nose of the cam 37 has passed from beneath theslide 36 the jaws rise to the level of the top of the table and justclear of the slots in" it thus retaining their hold on the sheet. Thebearings of the shafts 35 are carried by blocks '38 free to move ontransverse guides 39 (Fig. 3) and the shafts 35 are connected by links40 to levers'41 acted upon by eccentrics 42 fixed on the shaft 17 whichat the.

proper times draw the two series of jaws 27 transversely-outward awayfrom each other and so expand the slitsheet. The blocks 32 carrying thejaws of each series are connected to each other by links 43 acting somewhat like lazy tongs so thatthey are equidistant from each other whenfully separated.

The details of this arrangement are shown at Figs. 8, 9, 8* and 9*. Thelinks 43 are in pairs their lower ends being pivoted to the blocks 32 bytransverse pins 44 and their upper ends to transverse pins 45. Hung fromthe middle of the pins 45 are inverted T-shaped stops 46 (Fig. 8*) oneend of which is forked while the other end'carries a set screw 47, theend of which bears on a tongue 48 (Fig. 9*) pivoted near the bottom ofthe middle of the stop 46. Only one of these st ps is shown in Fig. 9but itfwill be understood that one is hung from each pin 45. When theblocks 32 are separated of the adjacent stop. When in this position Q vthe stop supports the pin 45 and prevents its further descent andtherefore the further separation of the blocks 32. By turning the screws47 the maximum distance between the blocks 32 can be adjusted.

The block 32 carrying the center jaw 27 of each series is fixed to thebar 33, the other blocks moving on the bar and closing up toward thecentral jaw when the sheet is being expanded. After a sheet has beenexpanded the blocks are separated again in the following manner :Theblocks at each end of each series are fixed to slides 49 (Figs. 5 and 6)free to move along the shafts 35. These slides carry pins 50 whichengage with a bar 51 carrying guide rods 52 which work in guides 53fixed to the underside of the table 24. The bar 51 has on its undersidea roller 54 which is acted on by slit in the same direction-out of theplane same time the blocks move longitudinally .for expanding the sheet.

season 7 the latter drops ofi the jaws or is readily knocked of? byhand, and then the cams 55 come into operation and push the end blocks.32 longitudinally outward away from the middle of the machine. Theblocks then move transversely inward, the jaws 27 descend and take holdof the edges of the next sheet, the blocks 32 move transversely outwardthus expanding the sheet, and at the inward toward the middle of themachine and so on.

It will be observed that the blocks 32 are only controlled by the cams55 when they are being separated and the jaws therefore are not engagingwith the slit sheet of metal. When the latter is being expanded theblocks are entirely free and their inward movement is entirely governedby the pull of the slit sheet in expanding, no undue strain therefore isput on any part of the sheet. This arrangement also allows the samemachine to be used without alteration for different qualities of metal.

It will be observed that in the expanded sheet as is shown in Figs. 22and 23 allthe metal has been turned substantiallfy through a right angleand that the rows 0 mesh are in parallel'planes. The mesh shown isdiamond shaped but it may be made square by aw further expansion. v,

In my concurrent application I have claimed the process of manufacture.

What I claim is 1. The combination of means for forming in a sheet ofmetal parallel longitudinal rows of slits, means for turning theadjacent strips on opposite sides of each alternate slit in the samedirection out of the plane of the sheet and means for expanding thesheet.

2. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, means for turning the adjacent stripson.opposite sides of each alternate of the sheet so that one strip isabove the plane of the sheet and the other below the. same and means forexpanding the sheet;

3. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, means for turning the adjacent strips onopposite sides of each alternate slit and every other row of junctionsout of the plane of the sheet without substantially turning other rowsof junctions and means" 4. The combination of means for forming in asheet of metal parallel longitudinal rows of slits, means for turningthe adjacent strips on opposite sides of each alternate slit and everyother row of junctions in the same direction out of the plane of thesheet so that one strip is above the plane of the sheet and the otherbelow the same without connecting it to the junctions substantiallyturning the other rows of junctions and means for expanding the sheet.

5. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitud nal rows of slits, a pair of rolls having eonical surfaces allmaking the same angle wlt-h the plane of the sheet and constructed toturn the adjacent strips on opposite sldes of each alternate slit in thesame direction out of the plane of the sheet and means for expanding thesheet.

6. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, a. air of rolls having conical surfaces allma ing the same angle with the plane of the sheet and constructed toturn the adjacent strips on opposite sides of each alternate slit in thesame direction out of the plane of the sheet recesses in the rollscooperating together when passing the junctions and means for expandingthe sheet.

7. The combination of means for formin in a sheet of metal iparallellongitudina rows of slits, a pair 0 rolls having conical sur faces allmaking the same angle with the p ane of the sheet and constructed toturn the adjacent strips on opposite sides of each ornate slit in thesame direction out of the.plane of the sheet alternate deep and Shallowrecesses in the rolls cooperating together when passing the junctionsand means for ex anding the sheet.

8. The com ination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, the junctions between the ends I of theslits of each row being bet-ween the slits of adjacent rows, means forturning each junction of every other transverse rowof junctions togetherwith the pair of strips connecting it to the junctions of the adjacenttransverse rows to an angle to the plane of the sheet, all suchjunctions being turned in the samedirection, and means for expending thesheet.

9. Thecombination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits,.the junctions between the ends of the slitsof each row being between the slits of adjacent rows, means for turningeach junction of every other transverse row of junctions together withthe pair of strips of the adja cent transverse rows to an angle to theplane of the sheet, all such junctions being turned 1n the samedirection while the junctions of the adjacent transverse rows remain substantially in the plane of the sheet, and means for expanding the sheet.

10. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slit-s, the junctions between the ends of the slitsof each row being between the slits of adjacent rows, a pair of rolls,shalv low recesses in the rolls which cooperate to deep recesses in therolls 'which coincide turn in the same direction each junction of whenpassing the latter junctions and means every other transverse row ofjunctions, for expanding the sheet.

conical surfaces on the rolls which turn the I HARRY SALMON. pair ofstrips connecting such junction to Witnesses: the junctions of theadjacent transverse HENRY SGHQLFIELD, rows to an angle to the plane ofthe sheet, R. Wnsmoorr.

copiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C.

